On Tuesday, I had such a great time on a restaurant review of Farah's on the Avenue for INsite Magazine. Photographer Andres G. Farfan and I enjoyed some delectable dishes and chatted with owner Nick Farah about the popular Hookah hangout.

Farah’s on the Avenue isn’t just a restaurant and hookah bar, it’s a family-run tradition. Open since 1980, Farah’s boasts a full menu with a wide variety of items that fuse Mediterranean style cooking with classic homestyle favorites. From hot wings and burgers, to vegetarian and vegan dishes, Farah’s will please any taste palette. Owner Nick Farah recently renovated the space, bringing it back to its old roots, he said. Don’t miss the new $8 per person ‘Smoke Till You Choke Hookah Special,’ Fridays and Saturdays from 9pm to close.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE MENUWhen Farah’s first opened thirty years ago, the menu only had eight pita bread sandwiches, fries and onion rings. Now, you can enjoy the classics while still satisfying your cultural tastes. Farah’s Famous Wings ($8.95) have just the right amount of spice and crunch without being the slightest bit greasy. The secret Nick says is that the wings are twice cooked and never breaded. Or, order the Falafel with Warm Pita ($7.95) and channel your inner Mediterranean as you dine on delicious ground chickpea rounds with parsley and special seasonings.

FOUR SEASONS ALL YEAR ROUNDFarah’s is the first location in Gainesville to have an open-air patio. They eventually closed-in the front patio to make a larger restaurant year-round, but Nick is putting the finishing touches on a new patio located in the rear. They plan to have everything ready for summer grilling, he says. “It’s one of the most unique atmospheres in Gainesville,” Nick says. “It’s developed into the type of restaurant locals want.” When the whether is cold, come relax in plush green seats as you sit by the glass fireplace in the middle of the atrium.

HOOKAH HANGOUTWith more than 14 flavors of tobacco, ranging from guava to their specialty mixes like black cherry bomb, Farah’s has hookah flavors to complement any drink on their special menu. Get a single or signature flavor hookah for just $15. Want to drink and still smoke at the same time? Try one of their specialty hookahs ($22) to have an alcohol-flavored filter. “We use better tobacco than the other places,” says Ryan McGrath, 28, who has been working at the restaurant for six years. What is hookah exactly? Ryan says, “It’s just flavored vapor that tastes and smells good.”

SPECIALS ALL WEEK LONGCome in any day of the week and you’ll not only find satisfied customers, but you’ll find specials that won’t break the bank. All day every day come in for $1.50 Pabst pints, $2 well drinks and $5 Pabst pitchers. On Tuesdays, all of Farah’s Famous Gourmet Burgers are 2-for-1. Try their Awesome Burger ($8.95) for a tasty burger cooked to your liking and piled high with sautéed mushrooms, crisp bacon, onions and Swiss cheese. On Wednesdays, come in for 50-cent wings.